Sarwar says opposition parties desperate to see PTI fail

Governor says water filtration plants will installed at central jails across Punjab


Imran Adnan November 12, 2018
PHOTO: FILE.

LAHORE: Punjab Governor Chaudhry Sarwar has said the opposition parties have already started criticising the government but they should keep in mind that the government has not yet completed even 100 days.

He expressed these views during his visit to Faisalabad Central Jail on Sunday. “We don’t have a magic wand that will help us fix the decades’ old mess in the wink of an eye. But rest assured the PTI government is committed to doing accountability as with accountability it will be impossible to bring change in the country,” he underscored.

Sarwar highlighted that the entire PTI team and ministers were working day and night to introduce reform in their departments and sectors. “People will soon witness a positive change in the country.”

Earlier, addressing at the inauguration ceremony of water filtration plant and a medical laboratory, the governor said the provision of justice was the priority of the PTI government. It would help the country to prosper. People of Pakistan had very high hopes from the PTI and the government would fulfill all their dreams.

He said he has devoted his life for the welfare of the people. “Provision of clean drinking water to people of Punjab is my priority since a large number of people, especially young children, visit hospitals after drinking unsafe water,” he highlighted.

With the support of philanthropist, Sarwar announced that his non-governmental organisation, Sarwar Foundation, would install water filtration plants and develop medical facilities in all 42 central and district jails across Punjab. He lauded the efforts of a local businessman, Asghar Chaudhry, who provided resources for the installation of water filtration plant, medical laboratory equipment and took the pain of upgrading Faisalabad Central Jail’s kitchen and other infrastructure.

The governor told media persons that business leaders and philanthropists, including Abdul Rehman, Waseem Chaudhry and Awais Ghani, had committed to replicate the same in Gujranwala, Sahiwal and Lahore jails. He underlined that Pakistan had a lot of potentials and little effort needed to channelise this energy.

Sarwar asked Inspector General of Prisons Mirza Shahid Baig to provide him a list of missing facilities in jails across Punjab, besides provision of prisoners’ list who were in jails because they did not have the resource to pay fines up to Rs100,000. He said Sarwar Foundation would make payment of fines on their behalf and get them released.

Highlighting other initiatives of Sarwar Foundation, governor disclosed that the foundation opened five water filtration plants in Lahore last week and was going to inaugurate five in Faisalabad. Over 2,000 saplings had been planted in jail under Prime Minister’s Clean and Green Pakistan program. In addition, the foundation was running several educational and technical training programs in different districts of Punjab.

Earlier, giving the presentation about jails across Punjab, Faisalabad Prisons DIG Abdul Rauf told the governor that though generally infrastructure situation had been improved in jails across Punjab but still some facilities were missing. He requested the Punjab government to take a special interest in the construction of a juvenile prison in Faisalabad since existing jail had a very faulty infrastructure and as per law jail authorities could not house young prisoners with adults.

He also highlighted that the Prisons Department officials were leaving their jobs for police service since there was no service structure and promotions of lower cadre officials were long overdue. He indicated that the same had been conveyed to Punjab Minister for Prisons Chaudhry Zawar Hussain Warraich and he had taken the matter with Punjab additional chief secretary. The governor promised to take up the issue with authorities concerned and Punjab chief minister since it was the right of Prisons Department officials.

Provincial Minister for Prisons Chaudhry Zawar Hussain Warriach, commissioner Faisalabad, deputy commissioner, senior police officials, MPA and a large number of jail inmates were present in the ceremony.

 

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